Maria D'Attilo was born on February 2, 1873 in Termini Imerese, Palermo Province, Sicilia. Her parents were Tommaso D'Attilo (son of Filippo D'Attilo and Maria Bova) and Rosa D'Amore (daughter of Agostino D'Amore and Maria Anna Sansone Zodia).

Saverio travelled to St. Louis, Missouri to get permission from Tommaso D'Attilo to marry his daughter. I have a copy of the signed document
that Tommaso wrote giving permission to Saverio to marry Maria. The document was notarized at the Italian consulate in St. Louis, MO in November of 1889.
Saverio then returned to Termini to marry Maria.

Saverio and Maria were married on January 15, 1890 in Termini Imerese. They left Palermo, Sicily early in February of 1890 aboard the Giava and arrived in New York on March 29, 1890.

Saverio and Maria's first daughter, Salvadora (Dora), was born on November 2, 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri. They later moved to Denver, Colorado where their second daughter, Rosa (Rose), was born on May 31, 1892. From there they traveled to Des Moines, Iowa where their first son, Andrea (Andrew), was born on July 11, 1884.

By 1896, Saverio and Maria could be located in Monmouth, Illinois where several of their children were born: Antonina (Lena) on April 2, 1896, Tomasso (Thomas) on July 10, 1898, and Anna on April 28, 1900.

They then moved to Litchfield, Illinois where two more children were born: Lenora (Nora) on August 1, 1903, and Margaretha (Margaret) on September 2, 1905. From there they moved to Beardstown, Illinois where their last child, Maria (Marie) was born on April 2, 1909.

Throughout this period of moving around, Saverio and Maria were active in the produce business, operating stores dealing with produce. While in Beardstown, there was a fire which destroyed the family home. Shortly after the fire, the family moved back to Litchfield, Illinois.

In 1917, Saverio and Maria purchased a home in Staunton, Illinois where they lived until their deaths. They owned several other pieces of property in Staunton including the business they ran selling produce and a confectionary which was run by Margaret and her husband. The building where the produce store was still exists and is now split into a gift store and a beauty shop. The confectionary was replaced by several businesses over the years including a barber shop and an insurance agency but no longer stands. It was torn down in 1994 to make a parking lot.

This picture was taken in approximately 1935. Saverio passed away on February 26, 1937 and Maria died on November 5, 1950.

This picture was taken at the same time as the above picture. Seated are Saverio and Maria Sansone. Standing, left to right: Marie, Anna, Margaret, Nora, Lena, Andrew, Rose, Dora

This picture of their son Thomas who died on July 11, 1923 in Staunton, Illinois